Memories of the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship were invoked when the 2022 season got underway at MotorLand Aragon as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) battled hard for victory. It started the 2022 season off sensationally while reminding everyone about 2019, so here you can take a look back at some of the pivotal moments in the rivalry between Rea and Bautista.

PHILLIP ISLAND TISSOT SUPERPOLE RACE: an instant impact

The first-ever Tissot Superpole Race in WorldSBK was a showdown between the pair with Rea starting ahead of Bautista. The pair traded positions throughout the 10-lap showdown, with Bautista utilising the power of his Panigale V4 R to claim the second victory of his WorldSBK career in just his second race; it would be the start of 11 on the bounce for Bautista as he took the season by storm.

BURIRAM RACE 1: a hard fight between Rea and Bautista

WorldSBK moved on to Thailand and Buriram for the second round of the 2019 season, and this time it was Bautista who started ahead before Rea made his move on the opening lap of the race. As they battled on Lap 1, the pair made contact at the hairpin at the end of the back straight with Rea scampering ahead and Bautista losing time. As the 19-lap race progressed, Bautista caught up with Rea and passed him before going on to claim yet another victory.

ASSEN RACE 2: victory for Bautista on Rea’s happy hunting ground

Race 2 at Assen was another where Bautista claimed victory and Rea could only finish third. Bautista got away in the lead of the race as the lights went out but Rea made his way up from eighth on the grid to fight for the lead on the opening lap after a sensational start; with the Tissot Superpole Race cancelled due to snow, the grid was formed based on the results of the Tissot Superpole session. Bautista soon responded to claim victory on a circuit that has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for Rea.

RIVIERA DI RIMINI ROUND: a pivotal round in the title fight

The Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” was a decisive moment in the title race in 2019. Bautista claimed victory in the Superpole Race at Misano as Rea crashed out to gain a significant points haul on the British rider before the reverse happened in Race 2: Rea claimed victory as Bautista crashed and only finished 14^th with Rea within 16 points of Bautista at the end of a thrilling weekend of action with the season reaching an important point in the title race.

PORTIMAO RACE 2: victory despite injury

Bautista came into the 2019 Portuguese Round with a big shoulder injury and, like Assen, the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve had traditionally been a happy hunting ground for Rea. However, in Race 2, Bautista overcame his shoulder injury to claim a stunning victory on a physical circuit ahead of Rea; winning by just 0.111s ahead of his rival. Rea still led the title race by 91 points, but Bautista proved he was not giving up without a fight. The pair battled it out on track throughout the Portuguese Round in a thrilling race as Bautista came out on top.

MAGNY-COURS RACE 2: the title decided in France

The title was decided at Magny-Cours in 2019 after a crash between Toprak Razgatlioglu and Alvaro Bautista which put the Spanish rider out of the race and out of the title fight, with Rea going on to take his fifth consecutive title with victory in France. Although it would be the end of a sensational title fight between the two, the pair have a lot of respect for each other and 2022 is a chance to renew the rivalry that started in 2019.

2022 ARAGON RACE 1: Bautista is back

Bautista returned to Ducati for the 2022 campaign and immediately battled at the front of the field, with the Spanish rider and Rea having a last-lap decider in the opening race of the season. It invoked memories of their incredible 2019 campaign as the pair went head-to-head throughout Race 1, with Rea ultimately prevailing in a final corner showdown. Bautista’s moment would come on Sunday with his first win since returning to Ducati, the Tissot Superpole Race, backed up by Race 2 victory.

BE PART OF HISTORY: watch the 2022 WorldSBK battle unfold in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!